Friday, February 3, 2012

Pen pals

I love reading historical stories of lovers, separated - sometimes for years - who wrote letters to each other every day. Every day! Writing was what we would think of as unbearably tedious. Can you imagine dipping a quill in ink, scratching out a few letters, dipping again? If you made a mistake, you had to start over! And people complain about the "keyboards" on iphones. For heaven's sake.

I'm thinking about it today because I wrote a friend a long letter last night. I'll put it in the mail box today. She's in New York; I wonder how long it will be before she receives it? It was very fun. I'm determined to write a few letters by hand, put them in the post, to see if I can recapture that patient art. Back in the day I was a serious letter writer. I had a fountain pen and sealing wax that I loved using until I got old enough to recognize how dorky that was. Of course now I'm used to instantaneous connection, even moreso now that I have an iphone. Taking time to write and address the envelope, affix a stamp, seems quaint and old fashioned.

Did you know that postage stamps are now "forever" stamps? That means the price will never increase. The poor post office is about to pass its expiration date, it seems. But until it goes belly up, I'm going to get back into the practice of writing by hand, using the forever stamps, walking to the mailboxes (now few and far between on Capitol Hill). It's a labor of love. Oh yeah.

Well, the stamps we have we'll be able to use forever - but if they have a price increase buying new forever stamps will cost more :)

I've decided to try something new this year. I used to send homemade birthday cards to all of friends & family every year (hello, my name is The Bug and I'm a reformed stamp-o-holic) - that was a LOT of people! Of course I couldn't keep that up forever. So lately I just send store bought cards to immediate family.

This year I'm sending a letter to each person on their birthday, telling them what they mean to me, & including a blank lined sheet of paper & a stamped envelope for them to send me back a letter. So far I've sent four. I haven't gotten any letters back - so we'll see if it really works. But it's kind of fun anyway :)

you are so right. i used to love writing letters and posting (with sealing wax) and waiting for a reply. these days its only bills and bank statements in the post box - but such a treat to get a hand written missing. Geli is so good at this, and so is my sister.

sometimes i print recent photos and use them for writing paper in cards

mission for this weekend then - pen to paper. wonder if i can find an ink pen.....

YES! I love writing real letters with illustrations and side notes and dried flowers enclosed and sometimes a photo or a clipping of interest. Getting letters is fabulous, like a gift for being special! I still write but it is now an all day job for one letter!

My first young love (a long long time ago now) and I sent a handwritten love letter back and by forth every day. It was delivered by my brother and friends, who of course read it and were entertained immensely.

I still write letters, cards and notes. I hope the post office is around for a long time.